Balancing Act
by Effervescent Dreamer
Summary: It's hardly ever easy managing to please both others and yourself. More often than not, chaos erupts as a result.
1. Miss Mystery

Balancing Act

Disclaimer: I don't own Iron Man: Armored Adventures.

Sorry if the summary seems too cryptic. It's one of my quirks.

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><p>Chapter One: Miss Mystery<p>

Rain poured steadily onto the sidewalks and streets of Manhattan, imperfections littering the artificial terra firma whilst the skies above were blanketed in dark gray clouds. A cold wind whipped around the impressive skyscrapers of New York City, but that did little to deter the colorful, ostentatious, even bizarrely dressed crowds that littered the sidewalks as they awaited to filter into the Javits Center to attend an event that meant the world to comic book and anime fan alike. New York Anime Fest.

Once a year, from Friday morning until Sunday night, the convention center was split in half to house activities and exhibits for fans of both the Japanese art style of manga and anime as well as American made comic books and cartoons. Fans more often than not were found either dressed as their favorite character from a specific franchise or posed for photographs with another fan who had thought along the same lines that they had.

People swarmed tables that displayed upcoming episodes or chapters for their favorite series while others traversed to glimpse at something that was completely brand new. Wallets were emptied as both souvenirs and overly priced food were bought, large plastic bags filling quickly with freebies and tangible previews. Some arguments even filled the air as attendees argued over one action figure or a character's usefulness versus another one. Although, admittedly it was rather amusing to witness a teenage girl clad in Wonder Woman's uniform debating quite loudly with another woman, this one a busty blonde dressed in a revealing leather outfit over who was the better leading man; the Dark Knight or a gamer whose reliance on luck was just as heavy as his out of place Brooklyn accent.

The coolest part of a con was the opportunity to meet the artists and writers who breathe life into their series face to face. In a room located on the floor above the main showroom of the Fest such a meeting was taking place. A panel of five comic book creators sat at a long table, shooting the fans that filed into the audience relaxed and reassuring smiles as they waited for everyone to be seated. There was one artist in particular fans wished to meet, a woman whose personality seemed to be just as enigmatic yet addicting as the supernatural genre she wrote and drew for.

There was very little known about her. By appearances alone, for there was no public record confirming this, she seemed to be in her early twenties. She was confident and outgoing, clearly a New Yorker due to the accent that melded with her bright tones. She always dyed her hair outrageous hair colors making it near to impossible to decipher her natural shade and her eyes were always hidden by either sunglasses or a hat that sat low enough on her head that her bangs swept into her orbs.

The most mysterious and perhaps strangest aspect of this slightly frustrating yet popular artist was her name. Paprika Demure. Emblazoned onto every volume of her published work, it was one of the first things of the series that caught one's eye, however it just didn't seem to fit! Oh sure, people had unique names all of the time for instance a girl could be named Mercedes while a guy's name could possibly actually be Kal-El, named for the alien moniker bestowed upon Superman by his Kryptonian parents before shooting him off into space.

Yet the most well known thing about Paprika was her series, Ethereal. Ethereal was a series that delved into ancient mysticism paired with the complications of modern day life, particularly that of two teenage girls, one who was royalty while the other one was an outsider, a No Blood or a _Nessun'sangue. _This combination gave Ethereal a rather comical uplift to the otherwise dramatic series. So far it remained in comic book form for Paprika was still unsure if she was going to turn it into a cartoon as well as have the premises of a franchise despite several offers to do so.

Currently Paprika was grinning at her fans as more and more joined the already currently seated audience. She had her hair up in a high ponytail with two thick sections curving gently around her heart-shaped face. This time it was colored jet black with random streaks of violet cutting through the darkness while rose colored glasses sat before her eyes. She was garbed in a sweater dress that was nearly the same shade as the streaks in her hair while black leggings hugged her slender legs and charcoal boots covered her feet.

Once all the seats were filled, the door closed and a man who was seated at the middle of the panel table stood. He appeared to be about in his mid-forties with a short frame and slight build. Dark eyes peered out of square frame glasses as a broad smile spread across his face. This was Robert Saunders, head publisher of Eclipsed Comics, the same company that published Paprika's own series. He was also a former inker to several comics as well as editor.

"Welcome everyone to the two thousand and eleven New York Anime Fest American graphic novelist panel!" Robert announced to the room at large. "Long name, I know," he added with a grin. "As you know, this is a Q and A, you guys ask us questions and we answer 'em. It's not necessarily a free for all," he cautioned. "Please don't harass our artists and writers with questions that are personal," here he shot Paprika a sideways glance to which she silently replied with a smirk that betrayed her amusement.

When it came to herself, Paprika knew that the fans wouldn't hold back as the questioned her, trying to piece together the clues that would reveal her identity, not that they had much to go on anyway. Very few people knew her real name wasn't Paprika Demure, nor that her true hair color was black. The young graphic novelist leaned back in her chair and nearly laughed out loud as she glanced at her fellow writers and artists, nearly all of whom were eyeing her with knowing looks.

"So," Saunders began, cutting through the momentary silence. "Who would like to start the Q and A?" Hands shot up as soon as the word 'start' left the publisher's mouth. He pointed to a girl with shoulder-length chestnut hair and blue eyes who was seated to the far left of the room. She was one of the rare few who was not dressed in cosplay. "Who would you like to answer your question? And you might wanna stand so that way our panelists and audience can hear you."

The girl stood, a slightly shy smile gracing her face. "Ah, my question is for Ms. Demure…it's kinda personal, but I would really like to ask it."

Hearing her name addressed the way Miss Manners would have wanted prompted Paprika to sit up straight in her seat and give the fan her full attention as she grinned at her. Inwardly however, the graphic novel artist was smirking. _Let the games begin._

"Okay," Paprika allowed with a nod. "What's your question?"

"Well, I think you've made it pretty clear that you don't really want anyone to know who you really are, whether that's intentional or not. I mean, you're always coming to a con with either a different hair color or a different style but what I want to know is, why do you always cover your eyes? Why not just wear contacts?"

"Easy," Paprika replied. "My eyesight is too strong for contacts or even glasses. I have twenty/fifteen vision which my doctor has said is even better than twenty/twenty. And I really don't see the point of going through the trouble of damaging my eyes just wear contacts," she added with a laugh. "I will say this, I am beginning to regret coming to the cons not as my true self. I'm not trying to pull a 'Hannah Montana' and keep the real me out of the spotlight, I was just trying to get you guys to focus more on Ethereal and less on me.

Though that's gotten the opposite reaction, hasn't it, not by much, I can see you guys getting ready to protest," she waved a teasingly accusatory finger at the crowd. "But I also have to admit, it's fun coming to these conventions in disguise, I like the mystery and watching my fans try to figure me out."

Satisfied with Paprika's answer, the girl sat back down. Paprika gestured toward an African-American man who seemed to be around her age, silently telling him to stand up. "This question is about Ethereal," he began, a smile coming onto his face when he saw that the novelist brightened at the fact that he wasn't there to put her through the Spanish Inquisition so to speak. "I gotta know, why did you kill off Nadia? I thought she wasn't a villain anymore and had made a real impact with the protagonists! Now all of a sudden she's dead?"

Paprika laughed. "I've been getting a lot of outraged letters about just that very topic from upset fans. I know, I know, killing off Nadia was kind of a surprise," she admitted. "To myself as well. But sometimes in the fictional world such a move is a necessary evil. And you guys should know me by now, I'm all about the cliffhangers, twists and turns. Who's to say that she's really dead? Not that was a spoiler, mind you."

She answered the questions of three more fans, only needing to wittily dodge one personal question before she told the crowd that while she was flattered by all of the attention, it was only fair that the other panelists be addressed as well. She leaned back once more and waited quietly for the time when the audience would turn into a swarm as fans lined up, eagerly awaiting for their books and/or posters to be signed and the occasional photo op to take place.

Before she knew it, it was close to six in the evening which meant that the final day of the con was winding down and Paprika was free to go home. She smiled and waved as the fans slowly trickled out of the room and into the large ballroom where the main area of Anime Fest was being housed. Standing, she gave a slow stretch before bidding her fellow graphic novelists farewell. Paprika then made her way to the ladies' room located on the far side of the Javits Center second floor.

Her readers were right, they had always been right, Paprika mused as she stood in front of a sink in the empty restroom. She grinned at her reflection, black hair with purple highlights, that hadn't even been borne from her imagination, her best friend came up with that guise. She double checked to make sure that she was indeed alone before reaching up, Paprika slipped off the rose colored glasses and blinked her now free honey amber orbs. She then raised her hand further to the black hair which wasn't dye at all, not like her fans believed, but a wig which came off to reveal fiery crimson hair tied up in a bun.

Undoing her bun and allowing the long locks to fall toward the middle of her back, Paprika Demure faded away, to make way for the twenty-four year old artist's true self, Patricia Potts. Better known to her friends as "Pepper". Slipping her wig and glasses into her large black purse, Pepper then made her way out of the bathroom and joined the slightly emptier ballroom, mingling amongst the crowds as she headed toward the exit.

Honey amber eyes roved as she searched the premises for a particular familiar face. She grinned when she found who she was looking for. Leaning against a column close to the door was a woman the same age as Pepper, though a good head taller. Inky black hair with natural blue low lights spilled toward her waist, her skin sun kissed and eyes a deep, startling green; eyes that were tearing up as she worried her lower lip.

Pepper frowned. "Skye, what's wrong?" Concern flooded her voice.

Skye Troia, Pepper's best friend since the second grade and roommate whose job at a pediatrician's office as a receptionist was done for the day, glanced up at the red head as she clenched her blackberry. "My father's sick," she whimpered. "Really sick and the doctors don't know what's wrong…"she trailed off into a sob.

Pepper wrapped tanned, yet freckled arms around Skye. "I am so sorry. But your dad is a strong man, he's going to pull through." She kept the girl in her embrace before leaning back and asked, "And you're not on a plane towards your home because?"

Skye sighed and began walking out of the Javits Center, Pepper keeping in step. "My sister Layla thinks I should stay here for the time being," she dropped her voice. "Many think it could be an attack. What if they're right?"

The graphic novel artist bit her lip as she looked away, unsure how to answer. Skye hailed from a small, yet lush and thriving island not too far from Greece. It was a principality called Thalaria, and her father, John Troia was king. Her older sister Layla worked for the UN as a special ambassador to their homeland. With their father sick and certain rules and regulations, ancient ones, preventing their mother from acting as regent, Layla would undoubtedly have to return to Thalaria to rule in John's stead, which then meant that Skye would more than likely have to take up the position of ambassador.

Normally being ambassador for Thalaria wouldn't be such a problem, one did not have to be in the United States for long periods of time, they could stay within the principality. Yet because it was having disputes with Tropidor, a neighboring, yet more powerful island country, both ambassadors were required to be at the UN in hopes of reaching peace. Another problem was Skye herself, the Council of Thalaria, comprised of its elders believed her to be too tame and down to earth for such a position of responsibility.

_And now there's the possibility of an attack on the royal family? _Pepper thought with both exasperation and frustration. _No one needs that much pressure looming over their heads._

Skye let out a bitter laugh. "Who's to say that this is even an attack on my family? You know, I don't think Layla even mentioned such a thing, it's probably just nerves and paranoia getting the best of me."

"It could be," Pepper conceded with a nod. "After all, you're suddenly being thrust to the forefront of the political world and not during a time of tranquility."

"'Not during a time of tranquility'," Skye couldn't help but gently mock. "Since when you do sound so eloquent?"

"After watching one too many episodes of Star Wars: The Clone Wars," her best friend readily answered. "Looks like she's back ladies and gents. Feeling better?"

"Not hardly," Skye snorted. "But I've decided that freaking out is going to do me no good."

"No, it is not."

"So, just for the sake of preserving the shred of my sanity that is left, how did the panel at the Con go?"

"Oh, it was the usual," Pepper replied with a shrug. "People trying to figure out the girl behind the insane hair colors with the sporadic question or two that were _actually_ about Ethereal."

"Another day, another donut?" Skye asked as the pair came to their apartment building.

"You got it."

Entering the lobby, Pepper frowned. That earlier conversation with Skye about the troubles of home was way too easy. Before she could press her best friend for more insight on what was going on with her, the princess turned ambassador shot her an uncharacteristically sharp look. "Glass Menagerie," she told Pepper in a firm voice.

_Damn! _The graphic novelist had to hold back the childish urge to throw a mini tantrum as she felt it swell up within her. Glass Menagerie had become a code between the two to drop whatever subject one was pushing onto the other for the time being. It was also the title of a book both girls read during one of their college freshman English lit classes. Skye had been the one to use the name of that book for their code, never once saying why she chose The Glass Menagerie, though Pepper had a sneaking suspicion it was because she liked the character Laura.

Sighing heavily, Pepper murmured a "fine" before walking over to the mailroom and getting out her key to insert it into the lock, Skye following. Pepper didn't get very far for a child's voice cut through the air screaming, "Pepper! You're home!"

Pepper looked down in time to see a darkened blond blur come barreling toward her and knocking into her side. She laughed as she looked affectionately at her seven year old neighbor while he clung to her waist. Nicky Romano, a sandy blond haired boy with big hazel eyes was an adorable ball of energy who lived two floors beneath her own apartment. His mother Isabella was a kind woman, though often busy for she was a curator for a museum whose name often escaped Pepper's memory. His father, Joseph was overseas, having been stationed there due to his work in the military.

As a result of having one parent being away from home and another constantly at the museum, Pepper often spent her spare time babysitting the little boy. He was easy to take care of, despite sometimes being the type to bounce off the walls, and like Skye, he too knew her little artistic secret of being Paprika, often finding it funny when she showed off her different wigs. The only quirk about Nicky was that he was very particular about who babysat him and as a result, ran away from the unlucky teen to Pepper who laughingly agreed to take over watching him until Isabella came home from work.

"Hello, Nicky," Pepper greeted, tousling his hair. "Have fun today?"

"Yep," the boy replied with a nod, he looked around the red head. "Hi Skye."

Skye, who had begun laughing when Nicky ran into her best friend was still giggling. "Hey, kiddo."

"Mommy and I went to the Central Park Zoo," Nicky informed the both of them. "I liked seeing the penguins and the lions the best."

"Really? The lions are my favorite," Pepper said, unable to stop grinning. The boy's spirit was truly infectious. "So, where is your mommy?"

"Here, I am," came Isabella's weary voice. Looking up, Pepper saw that she was indeed tired. "Hello Pepper, Skye." The statuesque brunette looked at her son. "Nicky, how many times have I told you not run away from Mommy? And how many times have I told you not to knock into poor Pepper?"

"Puh-lenty of times," Nicky replied with a nod.

"Cheeky," Isabella retorted. "Just like your dad."

"Have you heard from Mr. Romano?" Skye asked, echoing Pepper's own thoughts.

"It's hard getting contact from him," Isabella said with a sigh. "But last I heard, he's hoping to have finished his tour of duty sometime in the spring and be back in New York close to June." She pulled Nicky toward her, a somber look in her eyes. "I get so worried that it might not be the case."

"Don't think like that," Pepper admonished gently. "I know you can't help but worry, but you must have faith that your husband will be home safe and sound."

"You're right," Isabella agreed. "I must relax a bit." She picked up her son. "C'mon Nick. Pizza night!"

"Yay!" Nicky cheered. He waved to Pepper and Skye over his mother's shoulder. "Bye, Pepper! Bye Skye!"

"Bye!" The two chorused, waving back.

"So," Pepper began as she turned to complete her task of getting the mail. "Are we still within the terms of the Glass Menagerie?"

"Yep," Skye replied, scanning her portion of the mail as it was handed to her.

"Alright." The two headed toward their two bedroom apartment on the ninth floor, both lost in their own thoughts.

Pepper sighed as she closed the door to her room. It held a queen size bed, desk and closet, and was big enough to double as her studio. Flopping onto her bed, she stared out at the fantastic view of the Manhattan nighttime skyline her large window gave her. The night had been uneventful, Skye so wound up with pent up stress had been silent as they ate the left over Chinese found in their fridge and channel surfed while sitting on the couch. Pepper knew that Skye had her own way of dealing with things, however it was mostly through talking, yet her best friend wouldn't say a word.

She was about to grab her headphones, when she heard a knock on the door. Turning, she saw Skye open the door and lean against the frame. "Hey," she said quietly.

"Hey yourself," Pepper replied.

Skye looked down at her crossed arms. "I'm sorry for shutting you out earlier. I didn't want you to suffer through the immaturity I was feeling."

The red head rolled her eyes. "You've got me as your best friend. I prance around these conventions pretending to be someone else and doing so with crazy hair colors while making every effort to conceal my eyes because I don't wear contacts. And you're worried about _me _dealing with _your_ immaturity? Well, the roles certainly seem to be reversed tonight!"

Skye let out a soft laugh. "True, I suppose. Look, I've gotta go to the UN tomorrow to get some things straightened out, make things official and whatnot. Will you come with? For moral support?"

Pepper made a face. "I dunno. That means looking nice and proper. And you know my aller-"

"Your 'allergy' can wait for a day," Skye retorted. "Wearing heels aren't exactly going to kill you."

"Oh all right," Pepper let out a long suffering sigh. "If I must."

Her best friend smirked. "Thank you. Night."

"Night!" Pepper chimed as Skye closed her door. Pepper stared at her door for a moment before dropping her head phones and reached for her bag, pulling out the black and purple wig. She ran her fingers through the false hair, quietly reminiscing. She would have never met Skye if it hadn't been for bumping into her as they reached for the same book at the bookstore one rainy afternoon. She laughed softly as she remembered her jaw dropping upon learning that the little girl with swinging black pigtails was actually visiting royalty, fully expecting a princess to be wearing some ridiculously poofy dress instead of the jeans and sweater she did wear.

Pepper frowned as she continued to think. Her best friend was being thrust into a position she did not want to be in, a position that people from her homeland did not believe her to be capable of handling. And Pepper herself? Well, she was a young woman who wrote dialogue and drew pictures for a comic book series that she was positive was only so popular because of the mystery she made Paprika Demure out to be. Life was a little bit complicated, sure, but Pepper knew that the two of them could manage to balance it all, even if admittedly, one girl had more of a challenge than the other one did.

As Pepper laid down, she continued to stare out at the night, not quite ready to fall asleep. She watched as an airplane soared across her field of vision, not knowing that the plane carried someone who would bring more chaos and possibly more adventure than Pepper could ever give Ethereal.

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><p>Additional disclaimers: Batman and Wonder Woman, not mine. They're DC property. Any locations mentioned in NYC save for the girls' apartment building and Isabella's workplace, also not mine. I do not own <span>The Glass Menagerie<span> nor do I own the anime characters mentioned earlier in this chapter. Points to those who can figure out who I'm talking about!

Anyone confused? I'm betting nearly everyone is. It's okay, I expected that. Tony will appear in chapter two and hopefully by then things will make more sense. If not, I will explain myself at the end of the next chapter.

I would like to thank and dedicate this chapter to ManaTheCatMagician and Socrates' Prodigy for beta-ing this fic pretty much from the beginning when it was nothing but random scenes. I'd also like to give a big thank you to Soap Lady for putting up with me and my endless questions which she has kindly answered since I first reviewed her one-shot The Lotus Eaters. It's amazing, go read it if you haven't already. And if you have read it, read it again!


	2. A New Start

Balancing Act

Disclaimer: Armored Adventures is not mine. Darn.

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><p>Chapter 2: A New Start<p>

"We must examine our options!" A middle aged man named Linus Steele, ten year board member of Stark International insists. "Hammer Industries' stock is rising exponentially while ours has plateaued this past month! That is certainly not like us, Mr. Stark!"

Mr. Stark, otherwise known as Tony Stark, the twenty-four year old CEO of Stark International and who has held that position for six years, concentrated on keeping a gusty sigh from escaping his lips. He had turned the three hour meeting into a game of sorts, seeing who was watching him and who wasn't, subtly shifting in his seat, slumping or crossing his legs. He game himself bonus points if he could yawn discreetly without getting caught. A stupid game of course, but it allowed Tony to cling to his sanity and not lose it to sheer boredom.

As his employee talked, Tony saw that he seemed to be repulsed by the word "plateau" and was it just him or did Steele spit when making exclamations causing the hologram to waiver just a bit? Whatever. Right now all members were fixated on him as he straightened his posture and decided to bring the meeting to a close.

"You're right, Mr. Steele," Tony began. "Our stock has plateaued in the past month. But this can be expected." He worked to keep his voice like his father's, calm and agreeable. Wasn't easy. "We're not infallible, but we can work to make the stocks rise again and be one of, if not _the_ most powerful company in the world once again soon. Now as much as I'd like to discuss new ideas with you, I must be going. I have a flight to catch. Thank you all for your participation, I will speak with you soon from New York."

Before any of the board members could protest, Tony deactivated the holo-projectors, cutting off any grumblings about the supposed "young and willful CEO." Swiftly standing, Tony moved toward the door, his fingers deftly unknotting his tie while his sanity cheered, _thank you thank you thank you_!

Smirking slightly, Tony walked out of his office and into the brightly lit cubicle corridor. He greeted and joked with the few employees of his who weren't afraid of his wealth, position or his intellect. He reached a wooden door with a metal nameplate that read Michael Donahue: Vice President. Tony knocked twice before stepping inside the office.

He grinned at a chestnut haired man who was typing away on his computer, brow furrowed as he scrunched his nose every so often, not daring to lift a hand away from his keyboard to straighten his glasses. "You ready for this, Mike?" Tony asked, "this" being Tony's leaving for the flagship office in New York while Michael led things in their current location of California.

Michael finally paused in his work and looked up at his boss, friend and mentor who was leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed casually. "Honestly, Tony? No."

"Aw, c'mon," Tony cajoled. "You're so qualified to handle the California office. What makes you think otherwise?"

"Well," Michael's brown eyes darted back to his computer in an attempt to gather his courage. "If this was purely running a company and having it out with the board, then sure, I wouldn't worry. It's your former vice president, you know, my predecessor doing something underhanded that has me worried."

He looked back at Tony. "I've got brains, but as a lot of people tell me, I'm severely lacking in courage and conviction. Just call me the Cowardly Lion, I guess."

Tony chuckled. "Oh, I think you're a lot more courageous than you give yourself credit for. Besides, I wouldn't worry about Stane too much. It's been six years since the board forced him to resign and allow me to take my rightful place as CEO of my dad's company. And as the movies tell us, the 'notorious villain' would have either attacked by now or in about four years. I don't know why, but it seems like they make their desire for vengeance known in five year intervals."

He finally made Michael laugh. "Seriously, boss?" Michael questioned. "You're really going to use movies as a point of reference?"

"Yup," Tony confirmed. "And the more ridiculous the movie, the better point of reference it makes." Readying himself to say more, his cobalt eyes caught sight of the digital clock sitting on his friend's desk. "Ooh, I gotta get going. Listen, Mike, you're going to be great as interim boss of this branch. You'll see."

Tony turned to leave when Michael called him back. "Hey, Tony, I know what today is...and I just wanted to let you know that I'm there for you if need be."

Ignoring the sudden flare of heartache, Tony turned back to the company vice president and gave him a small smile. "I know you are Mike, thanks."

As he walked toward his car, Tony tapped a finger against the device that was keeping him alive, his arc reactor futilely telling himself that there was a glitch in the machinery and that he wasn't about to cry.

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><p>"So your flight gets in at eleven-thirty?"<p>

"Yes, Rhodey, that's the time," Tony confirmed as he moved about his bedroom, packing last minute items, cell phone jammed between his ear and shoulder. "No, Rhodey, you are not picking me up from the airport. I can easily have Happy do that."

"Well, he has missed you," Rhodey agreed. "But guess what? So has your best friend. Y'know, the one whom you've been hanging out with since childhood?"

"I know, I know—"

"I'm still on leave, Tony. It's no big deal for me to meet you at the airport," Rhodey insisted.

"You don't just want to hang out in the morning?" Tony asked.

"Nope, you're getting picked up by me. Deal with it."

"Fine, fine, I will," Tony laughed as he tossed a few folded shirts into his luggage. He paused when he caught sight of a large black metal backpack nestled onto his still rumpled pillows, flashes of scarlet and gold running through his mind. He jumped about a minute later when Rhodey's voice suddenly increased in volume.

"Yo, Tony! Man, are you still there?"

"I'm here," Tony replied. "Sorry, Rhodey I was just…looking at my backpack, that's all."

"Your backpack?" Rhodey repeated, confused. It then dawned on him. "Ahh…your backpack. So, how do you think the public is going to take to Iron Man moving from sunny California to the concrete jungle of New York City?"

"About as well as I'm taking it," Tony answered. "I don't want to go back there."

"Tony, you grew up there," Rhodey said. "You lived there for twenty years."

"I know, Rhodey. I also know it's the place where I failed my dad."

He could hear Rhodey sigh and could practically feel his best friend roll his eyes. "You didn't fail Howard, Tony. You couldn't have foreseen that explosion and neither could have he."

"I had the Mark 01 Iron Man armor on that plane!" Tony exclaimed. "I was going to get it. Surely I could've gotten him out of there safely if only if I had more time!"

"That's the thing Tony," Rhodey responded, his voice infuriatingly calm. "Time. We can't control it, bend it to our will, you know? What happened, well it's awful, more than awful, it's tragic. But hey, at least you've been able to turn it into something positive for six years now, right?"

"Yeah…" Tony answered after a minute of silence. "Sure." He grabbed the backpack and slung it onto his back.

Rhodey sighed. He knew arguing with Tony on such a sensitive subject as the one they were discussing was futile. So he went for the "change the topic" approach. "I saw Whitney the other day," he began. "She's over the moon that you're returning."

"'Over the moon'?" Tony repeated with a laugh. "Well, I've been friends with her for as long as I've been friends with you. Maybe even longer." The two had dated for a while during high school, but sadly it didn't work out. Tony's self-appointed duty as Iron Man and trying to get Stane to quit having weapons be built under the Stark name took up too much time for the genius to even remember Whitney. All their one-sided relationship did was hurt her. It had taken her well over two years to finally forgive Tony and be his friend once again.

_And she_ still _doesn't know my secret_, he thought.

"Yeah," Rhodey went one, oblivious to Tony's thoughts. "You know, I swear I saw her at NYAF today."

"NYAF?"

"New York Anime Fest?" Rhodey spelled out. "C'mon Tony, I told you about it. I even went to Paprika's panel!"

"You actually went to that geek show?" Tony laughed.

"Look who's talking!" Rhodey retorted.

"True, true," Tony conceded. "But I'm not that big a fan of comics."

"So you say," his friend muttered under his breath.

"I heard that."

"Yeah, yeah."

"So what's so great about some girl whose name is that of a spice?" Tony asked. "You do know that's a pseudonym, right?"

"Duh. All of her fans know that. All known facts of her are very little. I guess she's very private."

"And yet she shows up to these 'cons'," Tony deadpanned.

"Hey, she found a creative way to do it," Rhodey defended.

"By dying her hair all of the time?" Tony asked. "That can't be healthy."

"And what would you know about hair dying?" Rhodey asked. "Are you trying to tell me you've been a blonde this whole time?"

"No," Tony laughed as he fought with the zipper on his luggage, mentally filing away a reminder that he needed an invention to make that less annoying. "But I did have to sit through Whitney complaining about all of the bottle blondes and how they don't compare to her own natural color."

"Scintillating."

"Hey…don't pick on the girl I know you had a thing for for years."

"I got over her," Rhodey replied. "When I saw that she was obsessed with you."

"She wasn't obsessed with me!" Tony exclaimed, slightly disturbed by the thought of anyone being obsessed with him. Unfortunately however, he knew this to be true. Villains did love to try to eke out all truths about their enemy and find the best way to destroy them.

Tony shook his head, not wanting to think of such horrors. "Anyway, I gotta head to the airport now. I'll see you toni—ow!" He tripped over a box that the movers had apparently forgotten and kissed the ground. "What the hell?"

"Tony!" Rhodey called, concerned. "You okay, man?"

"Yeah," Tony grimaced. "I'm fine." He got up onto his knees and looked at the box that took him out. "Dad's things" was sprawled onto the cardboard in thick Sharpie. Heart squeezing, he reached out and tried to straighten out the crumbled box, peeling back the worn tape and started adjusting the books. He grabbed a small leather journal and was about to place it back in when a piece of paper slipped from the pages, giving him enough of a view to see his dad's neat writing scrawl out his name.

He lifted his phone back to his ear. "Uh, Rhodey? I'm going to have to call you back."

"Is…everything all right?"

"Let's just say I found some in-flight entertainment," Tony began. "And it involves my dad. I'll see you tonight." He flipped his phone closed before Rhodey could say anything else and pulled out the note, not caring that he was running out of time. It was his plane. The crew could wait.

Opening the note, he read it:

_Tony, _

_My son if you are reading this, it means something bad and possibly fatal has happened to me. In this book is a project I started working on when you were fourteen. I've discovered something wonderful and doubtlessly unfathomable to you. Well, it'll seem like that at first, but trust me son, it's real. I am now entrusting you to finish the expedition and complete the research._

_I love you, Tony. I know how smart you are and how capable. But be careful when choosing in whom to confide in. Those closest to you could very well turn into a dangerous adversary._

_I'm so very proud of you,_

_Dad_

Swiping at the tears that flooded his eyes by the end of his father's first sentence, Tony scanned the note again, clenching his teeth as his eyes roved down the paper. Ten years. This note had been waiting for him for ten years and he didn't even notice it once! What kind of son was he? And was it possible that Howard Stark was indeed _alive_?

No…no. That was most likely asking for too much.

_Or is it_? A voice whispered to him from the recesses of his mind. _The note did say __**possibly **__fatal_.

Feeling a headache coming on, Tony pushed the is he, isn't he alive debate to the back of his mind as he re-taped the box, gently kicking it toward the door as he began rolling his luggage behind him, his grip never loosening on his father's journal.

* * *

><p>Tony's mind spun as he read his father's journal. There were such detailed anecdotes and questions scrawled on the pages. Sketches of ancient Chinese statues, guardians, his father wrote, illustrated the book with his father's meticulous attention.<p>

There was just one thing that Tony couldn't quite grasp. Rings. Howard Stark had found a ring and called it the Makluan Ring, claiming it to be a form of extremely advanced alien technology.

_Really, Dad? Really?_ Tony thought exasperatedly. _**Alien**__ technology?!_

There were also detailed notes on the original possessor of the rings, a conqueror who had called himself the Mandarin._ And a "terrifying" villain named after a type of orange_. Tony added dryly.

The young CEO let out a loud sigh. Howard Stark was a genius, there was no doubt about that. Sometimes geniuses were eventually considered to be mad. But not his father. Besides, who was he kidding? There was Thor for crying out loud! He came from another _dimension_. And Venom, reports from Dr. Banner himself stated that the villain was indeed alien and not in the illegal immigrant sense.

But rings? Pieces of jewelry? All powerful and potentially devastating? Didn't such an idea belong in the pages of a Green Lantern comic?

Picking up the journal, he gave it a lazy page turn before returning it to his table. He couldn't believe he was thinking it, but this would give him closure on the loss of his father. He could continue his father's expedition, finish it. And perhaps find out once and for all just who the hell it was that took Howard Stark away from his son.

* * *

><p>When the Stark Industries private plane landed, Tony quickly exited and found Rhodey within seconds. After a proper "man hug", Tony passed Rhodey his father's journal and took the keys from his best friend's hand in one smooth maneuver. "I'm driving," he stated as he headed for Rhodey's silver Expedition.<p>

"You're driving now?" Rhodey asked skeptically. "Dude, I know it's not that late for you, _especially_ you, but you came from a full day of work, an emotionally draining few hours at your apartment and then a cross country flight. And you're not suffering _any_ jetlag?"

"I slept on the plane," Tony replied as he opened the driver's side door and got in.

"Did you really?" Rhodey inquired dryly.

"No," Tony had no qualms admitting. "But I'm fine and perfectly capable of driving." He gunned the ignition and began backing the car. "You're reading." He reached up and flicked on an overhead light that would enable Rhodey to read at night.

"And what is it I'm supposed to read exactly?" Rhodey flipped through the book. "This looks like a journal." He gave a chuckle. "Aw, does Tony want me to read his diary?"

"That's my dad's."

Rhodey threw Tony a disturbed look of which he paid no mind. "You want me to read_ your dad's_ private thoughts?"

Tony shook his head, hardened and determined gaze still on the road. "No, it's a key to a mission."

"An…Iron Man mission?"

"Maybe," Tony shrugged.

"Okay," after a moment's hesitation, Rhodey began to read. And as he read, Tony spoke once more. "It's a mission to find out who it was that betrayed and killed my father."

There was silence in the car for the rest of the ride.

* * *

><p>Whoot! This story is back! Hopefully there are those out there who actually care. For those of you who have caught on, yes, this is my spin on season one of Armored Adventures. Warning, not every chapter will match an episode, but it does cover the main premise. And if this turns out well enough, maybe I'll consider season two. We'll see. This is only chapter two and Tony and Pepper haven't even met yet. Spoiler alert, they will in chapter three.<p>

Please give this story a chance, I had a ton of fun writing it and I hope you will enjoy reading it.


	3. When Tony Met Pepper

Balancing Act

Disclaimer: I don't own Iron Man: Armored Adventures

* * *

><p>Chapter 3: When Tony Met Pepper<p>

Pepper had no idea where she was but she was standing alone at the top of a cliff that seemed to be its own lonely little island in the middle of the ocean. Great waves crashed against the craggy rock, the sky an endless expanse of azure. _Okay_, she couldn't help but think. _While this is all very pretty scenery, it's_ _also pretty boring. Why am I here anyway? Alone?_

"You're not alone," a masculine voice called out to her. "I'm here."

"And you would be?" She asked, eyebrow quirked.

"Someone…someone who needs you."

_Am I having one of those dreams authors and artists have when they need to be inspired?_ Pepper couldn't help the skepticism. Some guy needed her? The only guys in her life who needed her around were her father and Nicky. Oh and she supposed her publisher counted too. This man's voice sounded nothing like theirs and yet it sounded somewhat soothing.

"Why do you need me?"

"He doesn't need you," another masculine voice cut in. This voice screamed arrogance, yet held a bit of allure. "But I do. He's nothing."

Pepper frowned at the warring voices. "Okay?" She then groaned when a hypothesis came to her. "Please tell me this isn't going to be the beginning of some love triangle. I can't stand those."

"No," the first voice replied, a gentle laugh edging his words. "But I suppose…that each of us require your support."

"You can only choose to side with one," the second voice added fiercely. "Don't let this weakling take down your guard."

"I'm not weak!" the first voice snapped. "You're just trying to lure her in to your treachery."

As the two voices continued to argue, Pepper noticed the sky rapidly turning from blue to black, as if someone had spilled ink onto a painting and was now bleeding over the paint. Then she could see the voices. Not the owners, no specific face, but colors. The first voice was represented by a raging swirl of crimson and gold, the colors making Pepper snicker slightly for they reminded her of Iron Man. As if he'd visit her and in a _dream_ no less.

The second voice was represented by a spinning vortex of bright and yet sickly shades of green reminding the graphic novelist of despair and destruction. Then, there was a shimmer of gold so quick that she nearly missed it, but it brought a word to mind that she couldn't quite place its belonging. Hope.

Shaking her head, Pepper knew she had to say something before those voices did something disastrous and potentially took her out. "Hey!" She shouted. They ignored her. "Hey!" As the two fought still, their colorful vortexes grew closer, eventually slamming into one another. Upon collision, an angry bolt of purple lightning shot out and struck the cliff. It crumbled at Pepper's feet. Screaming as she fell toward the ocean, she heard something that seemed truly out of place in the dream she was having.

"Morning!"

Subconscious rushing back to reality, Pepper's eyes snapped open to see Skye kneeling on her bed and grinning at her. It took her a moment what really happened when she "fell". "Did you jump onto my bed again?" she asked her best friend groggily.

Skye's grin widened. "Yup! I think you flew about a foot and half this time." She then mock scowled. "Geez, you're so light Pepper! Eat something, will you? You're making me feel enormous."

Pepper rolled her eyes and smacked Skye in the face with a pillow, effectively knocking her off the bed. "Says the princess with a supermodel's body."

Skye pouted as she wrapped her arms around her lithe form. "I'm not that slender. Nothing against supermodels, but I think I'd go insane if I couldn't have Italian at least once a week."

"I'm pretty sure they eat pizza," Pepper replied.

Skye frowned as she studied Pepper. Her eyes seemed glazed over, like she was lost in thought, her voice not that energized. "Pep? Are you okay? What's wrong?"

Pepper closed her eyes and shook her head. "Nothing, Skye. Just a weird dream, not like my usual nightmares." She lifted her head and gave the princess a forced brave smile. Her usual nightmares revolved around her parents. They were in dangerous lines of work. Her father, Virgil Potts was an FBI agent, her mother; Janine Potts was a SHIELD agent. Even though she was so proud of both of them, Pepper was always so afraid she was going to lose one if not both of them.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Skye asked gently.

"Nah, it's too weird," Pepper leaned back onto her hands, stretching. "Maybe once I'm able to figure it out, but it could be just a weird dream." She glanced at the clock. Seven-fifteen AM. "Ah, shouldn't you be at the UN? Like now?"

Skye shook her head. "My sister's not expecting me there until nine-thirty."

"Layla's here in the states still? I thought she left for Thalaria already."

"Only to show me the ropes," Skye replied. "She's leaving tonight."

"Gotcha," Pepper said with a nod as she flopped back onto her mattress. "Guess you don't need my company then." She pulled up her blankets and rolled onto her side, her back to Skye.

"What? Yes, I do." Skye tugged the blankets away from Pepper who whined at the sudden chill.

"Why? You have your sister with you."

"I still need my best friend to bitch to at the end of the day," Skye retorted.

"That's what the invention of the phone is for," Pepper said as she started a futile tug of war with her best friend to get her covers back.

"Please, Pep?" Skye wheedled. "You promised!"

"I made no such promise," Pepper retorted. She then sighed. "But since I'm not going to get my blankets back and I don't want any more weird psychedelic-ish dreams, I'll go."

"Great!" Skye cheered. "Now up and at 'em, Lazybones."

Amber eyes rolling, Pepper grumbled, "the things I do for friends."

"That includes wearing heels," the soon-to-be ambassador sang.

"Yeah, yeah. Allergies mean nothing to you."

"An allergy to heels isn't a medical issue, Pep," Skye serenely replied, knowing full well she was irritating the red-head. "It's your aversion to fashion."

"Heels are killer and man traps!" Pepper snapped as she headed toward the bathroom.

"Quit quoting movies when you can't win an argument!" Skye called with a laugh.

"Whatever."

* * *

><p>This was not Tony's day. He had woken up late after pulling a near all-nighter on both studying his father's journal and programming a new security system for his house. He had spent so much time on both he had barely begun to unpack. He also didn't want to move from the safe haven of his lab because it would acknowledge just how big his house was…and just how lonely he was becoming.<p>

When his eyes finally cracked open, he saw that it was eight-thirty in the morning. A colorful oath escaped his lips; he only had an hour and fifteen minutes to get to Stark International! Stumbling toward the bathroom Tony groaned; he was tired, he wanted to continue researching the Makluan rings and he didn't want to go to work! Ugh, priorities.

Twenty minutes later, Tony was glaring at his tie as he tugged the knot into place. When he got to the safety of his office, the stupid thing was coming off. He glanced at the clock and grimaced. Even if he took the Iron Man armor as a means of transportation, he still didn't think he'd get to work on time.

_What are you complaining about?_ His inner voice chided. _You're the CEO of a very successful company that can survive if you're a little late. Besides, since when did you, Tony Stark care about being prompt? Now do yourself a favor and get yourself some food. Your stomach hasn't stopped complaining and the fridge is empty. Go._

Tony blinked and finally heard more than felt his stomach demand food. Chuckling to himself, Tony realized he didn't live that far from work and did indeed have time for both breakfast and being punctual, if he ran. He grabbed the backpack and slung it over his shoulder; he was twenty-four, not that old for carrying such an article to work. Besides, he was known for being eccentric, this was nothing new.

He thanked his lucky stars he lived five miles away from work. He could handle that. Breaking into a sprint, Tony made his way down several blocks, inwardly thanking New Yorkers for being a busy people who were too engrossed in their own daily agendas to take notice and realize that Tony Stark was running like a maniac right near them. He was quickly beginning to regret his decision to run for he was quickly running out of breath. _What the hell was I thinking?!_ Just as he was about to unabashedly collapse on the sidewalk in public, Tony spotted a café and quickly ducked inside.

Doing his best not to double over as he fought to catch his breath, Tony staggered over to the relatively short line, his pulse drumming in his ears. He blushed when the woman in front of him turned around and shot him an irritated look. Apparently his breath was coming out a little too hard. He forced himself to steady his breathing and studied the menu.

When his turn came, he stepped up to the counter and gave a half grin to the cashier who looked like he'd rather be anywhere but at his job.

"Hi," Tony greeted in an attempt to be amicable.

"What do you want to order?" The cashier asked voice nasal and exhausted.

"Ah, I'll have an egg and bacon sandwich on a toasted bagel and a large black coffee." Bitter, but it always gave Tony the jolt he needed to stay focused in the office.

"What kind of bagel?"

"Sesame."

"That'll be five dollars and forty-seven cents," the cashier droned, dulled green eyes boring into Tony's cerulean ones.

"Okay," Tony replied, moving to grab his wallet…which wasn't in his pants pocket.

Turns out it wasn't in his jacket either.

Laughing sheepishly, Tony was about to pay later by pulling out the "I'm Tony Stark, international billionaire" card when a female voice spoke before he could.

"Could you add two muffins, one blueberry, one chocolate chip as well as one medium-sized hot apple cider and one Frappuccino with extra whip to that?"

A young woman appearing to be around Tony's age suddenly filled his field of vision. She gave the cashier a sweet smile and handed him a twenty. "Please and thank you." She then stepped back and out of Tony's sight, prompting the young CEO to turn around in order to get a better look at his rescuer.

Clad in a navy business suit which consisted of a blazer and skirt that fell a few inches short of being knee length. The skirt led to two slender legs that while not long, still had killer appeal which was further accentuated by the heels her feet were currently shod in.

Blushing slightly, Tony forced his eyes up to take in the rest of the girl. Red-gold hair that was pulled back into a ponytail, a heart-shaped face with a lightly tanned complexion. Her eyes were what caught his attention though. Such a unique shade of brown, Tony wasn't sure if there was a specific name for the color. Amber seemed to be his closest bet; and the light, the light in her eyes seemed to constantly shift from innocent yet focused, to mischievous.

She was talking animatedly to another young woman, most likely her friend. This one had a sun kissed complexion, startling bright emerald eyes and waist length black hair with natural blue highlights. She was also dressed for the office and appeared to be taller than the red-head.

Tony was snapped out of his…observing…by the monotone of the cashier. "Order's ready. Two muffins, one hot apple cider, one frap and one egg with bacon on a toasted bagel with a large coffee." As he mentioned Tony's order, his gaze became laser sharp, causing Tony to laugh uncomfortably as he reached for his food, clearly the cashier wasn't going to let the embarrassment of forgetting his wallet become a fast but distant memory.

"So," the red-headed beauty began in a loud voice as she reached for her order, head tilted toward her friend, "Next time we go to Patty's Diner?"

"Definitely," the friend affirmed with a grin.

Tony's rescuer then turned her attention to him. "It's kind of a small diner down two blocks on Forty-Second Street. Yet despite its size, the people who work there are way friendlier." Here she shot the cashier a disarming smile. "Maybe I'll see you in there, Mr. Stark."

Facing her friend once more, she handed the girl the Frappuccino and asked, "Ready to go?" With a nod, the two walked out into the beautiful day.

Tony blinked. Twice that red-headed woman saved his dignity within the span of five minutes and then she walked away before he could even say thank you. _At least tell me your name_!

* * *

><p>Pepper was happily drinking her hot apple cider while giving herself a foam-stache when Skye broke the silence. "Is it just me, or were you actually flirting with <em>the<em> Tony Stark?"

Startled, Pepper did everything in her power to not spew her drink all over the place. Swallowing, she shot Skye a bewildered look. "Flirting? I was so not flirting! If anything, I was saving his dignity from being shredded any further! I mean the poor guy lost his wallet…forgot his wallet…whatever! And that oaf of a cashier was glaring at him and you_ know_ he was going to totally humiliate him. Who wants to be humiliated first thing in the morning? And in public no less! Not me, it would so suck and totally ruin the rest of the day, leaving whoever was humiliated to snap at some poor innocent soul who doesn't deserve to get yelled at and then that person would get ticked, creating one massive chain of ticked off and humiliated people!"

Taking a rather large bite of her chocolate chip muffin and chewing with gusto, Pepper continued. "Really, I just wanted my muffin. To flirt? No."

Seeing Skye's skeptical look, Pepper rolled her eyes. "What? I seriously wanted this muffin. Helping Stark out was just a bonus."

Skye laughed and shook her head. "Whatever you say, Pep. Whatever you say."

Pepper stuck out her tongue and switched between nursing her cider while eating her muffin. "So are you ready to tackle your first day as interim ambassador to Thalaria?" she asked, mouth full.

Skye smirked. "Sorry, Pep. I didn't quite get that, I don't speak 'mouth-full-of-food-ese."

Her best friend glared at her. "I said, are you ready for your first day at the UN?"

Skye let out a gusty sigh. "Honestly, no. But with my father sick and my sister leaving tonight to help my mother, I guess I have to be. Hayden's too young and he's a wreck."

"Your twelve year old brother is also in Thalaria," Pepper pointed out.

The princess stared at her deadpan. "Yes he is, Captain."

Pepper laughed. "Alright, let's do this." She then frowned. "So what exactly am I going to be doing? Spinning around in your office chair seeing how long it takes for me to get dizzy? Because I can do that from the comforts of home."

"I told you, you're moral support," Skye explained patiently.

"And I told you, as you told me, your big sister will be there!" Pepper exclaimed. "What do you need me for?!"

"Layla will only be there for an hour," Skye replied. "And I can't exactly have my cell phone Velcroed to my head to talk to you."

"You have an ear piece."

"Yeah, but those make me feel like I'm talking to myself," Skye said as she made a face. "Look, just chill in the office for a while, maybe work on your art…" she was always careful not to mention Ethereal when in public. You never know who could unmask the…unmasked.

Pepper huffed. "All right, fine. But you can't keep me contained all day."

"I'm sure you'll find something to do," Skye placated. "Just don't do anything that could be traced back to the UN computers."

"Hey," Pepper protested. "I haven't done that since high school."

Her roommate shot her a skeptical look. "Uh-huh. Sure."

"I haven't," she insisted, doing her best to flounce ahead in a "so-there" matter. It was slightly difficult when she was stuck wearing heels.

Skye laughed as Pepper wobbled and caught up to her, linking her elbow with the red-head's in order to help her balance. "Let's just this day over with."

"Sounds good to me," Pepper agreed.

* * *

><p>"I take it back," Pepper muttered to herself as she sat bored in Layla's office. "This doesn't sound like a good day at all."<p>

_She and Skye had been separated within ten minutes after locating the elder princess and ambassador of Thalaria. "Skye…" Layla had said, hurrying over to her sister and enveloping her in a hug. Her oceanic blue eyes were exhausted, though she still managed an air of professionalism and a familial smile on her lips._

_Pepper gave a small smile and stepped back, her gaze roving over the lobby of the UN not wanting to interrupt the sisterly moment. She was spotted after a minute, however. "Pepper!" Layla cried, looking over Skye's shoulder. "I didn't know you were coming!" She pulled the graphic novelist into a hug._

"_Hello, Layla," Pepper greeted warmly. "I didn't know I would be here either, but your sister is quite persuasive."_

"_More like quite annoying," Layla replied with a wink._

"_Hey!" Skye snapped. "I'm right here."_

"_Love you," Pepper said with a grin. She then turned serious as she regarded Layla. "Ambassador, how's your father's health? Any better?"_

_Layla seemed to deflate as she shook her head. "No. But at the very least, he isn't worsening." Skye gripped her hand and she smiled. Pepper felt like an intruder once again despite having known the sisters and their family for nearly twenty years._

_Layla took a deep breath and released Skye's hand. She tugged out invisible wrinkles in her blazer, the action merely to keep her hands from wringing themselves. Layla then placed a hand on Skye's shoulder. "Come with me, sis," she said. "I'll bring you to Ambassador Benoit and Ambassador Bucci, they shall catch you up to speed on what is going on with finances in Europe. I realize that they are Western European and technically we are Eastern, but I trust those two to guide you during your time here in my stead."_

_Skye gave her a weak smile. "All right, Layla. I'll take your word for it."_

"_Good," Layla replied, giving her a smile in return. She turned to Pepper. "Don't worry Pep, I haven't forgotten you. Come with me to my office, I know it's not ideal, to be cooped up there but you won't be ditched completely."_

_Pepper laughed. "I understand."_

"I take back agreeing to just stay here," Pepper grumbled to her crossed arms. "I should've just gone home." She sighed and leaned back in the leather office chair having spun until she was dizzy at least three times, swiped a piece of gum and changed her hairstyle from a ponytail to a French braid. The phone had rung, but she didn't answer for Layla already had a secretary and nobody would recognize her voice.

Another sigh escaped Pepper as she sat up and glared at the computer monitor in stand-by mode. She had sworn to Skye that she wouldn't do anything reckless_. I haven't done anything stupid via the internet in forever! Since high school! Which, granted isn't forever, but seven years is seven _years_!_

She couldn't text for both Skye and Layla were busy, Isabella only calling her when she needed Nicky to be baby-sat. Her father sometimes called, but with his job as being a private investigator for the FBI, she knew he wasn't available to gripe to and neither was her mother.

Pepper Potts was bored, really truly _royally_ bored. No pun intended.

With another spin the chair, Pepper caught sight of something that caused her to stop in her rotation. _Ah…a Barnes and Noble store! Hello, distraction!_ Sending Skye a quick text that she knew her friend wouldn't get until her lunch break; she got up and headed out of the office, an unexpected spring in her heeled step.

* * *

><p>Tony typed away on his computer sending an e-mail to both Michael and the board letting them know that things were going smoothly in New York. Since his e-mail to Michael was a BCC, blind carbon copy, he knew that the board wouldn't see Tony's wry humor at how welcoming some people both in and out of the office had been toward the new arrival.<p>

He had to admit to himself however that their indifference was slightly refreshing. He was made uncomfortable when people fell over themselves in an attempt to please him. He liked mistakes and he liked genuine behavior, it's what made life interesting and people approachable, otherwise he would've hired someone else to play the face of CEO and Stark International while he stayed hidden in his lab and worked on his inventions, including upgrading the Iron Man armor as he had done quite often.

Clicking on the "send" button, Tony leaned back in his chair. He was grateful to his employees that they were efficient and that his meetings were scheduled in the afternoon leaving him to only sign a few agreements. Instead of leaving him bored, this left him to allow his thoughts to stray toward a certain scarlet haired beauty.

Not only was she attractive, but she was kind, coming to his rescue like that. He wanted think it was because he was about to be publicly humiliated, not because he was Tony Stark who was about to be publicly humiliated. Then there were her eyes, those honey amber orbs that held an intelligence and spark of mischief, of fun. She seemed like the type he would want to get to know. And he did, he wanted to know more about her.

"Like her name for starters," Tony muttered to himself. He didn't want to ask her out, not yet. He just wanted to find her and talk to her.

Heaving a sigh, he walked over to his window and looked down, leaning on the thick glass. His cobalt eyes roved the busy streets watching as people hurried along, yellow taxis racing the streets like blood vessels moving oxygen toward the heart of the city. Tony was about to go back to his desk to review more blueprints for a new clean water system Stark International was being asked to help build when his eyes caught sight of a familiar flash of red.

His heart jolted, he couldn't believe it! He'd found her, vibrant hair, navy suit and all. Fingers curled into a fist, he was about to rap on the glass when he was reminded of one thing, he was in a skyscraper sixty-nine stories high and she was all the way down on the street. For all he knew that pedestrian probably wasn't even the girl and she wouldn't see him let alone hear his knock.

But he had to take a chance and it was an excuse to get out of the office for a short while. He watched as she disappeared inside a Barnes and Nobles bookstore before racing out of his office grabbing only his cell phone and leaving behind his jacket and tie.

Ignoring the confused looks on his employees' faces, Tony practically leaped into the elevator, barely clinging onto his dignity. He grinned at the few who were in the elevator with him. "It's a really nice day out, thought I could use some fresh air, you?"

A woman in her mid-thirties looked at Tony in confusion. "But Mr. Stark sir, it's overcast with a thunderstorm approaching."

Tony was undeterred. "Don't worry Miss. Kline, I'm not afraid of a little thunder. Besides, if it's cloudy out, one can't be blinded by the sun's rays."

She gave him an unsure smile. "I suppose that's true, Mr. Stark."

When the elevator reached the lobby, Tony flashed his fellow passengers another grin. "Enjoy the clouds!" He called back as he did his best not to bolt out the building's door. When he reached the sidewalk, Tony glanced up and down the street both ways. There was no sign of her. "Maybe she's still in the store," he said to himself.

Within seconds he reached Barnes and Nobles, slipping inside. He had no idea where to search for her, no idea what she liked. Was she into mystery? Sci-Fi? Romance novels? Manga? He walked the aisles, keeping his eyes peeled for shocking red hair and amber eyes. He nearly walked past her when he spotted her out of the corner of his eye, casually leaning against the edge of a bookshelf, a thick novel held open to the beginning in her petite hands.

Tony glanced up at the sign of the section she was in. Ah, biographies. Keeping his gait as casual as he could, he strolled over to her, craning his head slightly to catch the title of her book. "A fan of Tesla?" he asked with a grin.

Jumping slightly, the woman looked up at him. She grinned in return. "Indeed, I am Mr. Stark. What can I say? I'm a sucker for the underdog." This was true in the case of Nikola Tesla, a renowned scientist whose genius and philanthropy often was taken advantage of, his work sabotaged by thugs hired by rivals like Edison and Marconi.

The woman closed her book and straightened her posture. "What can I do you for? Need me to rescue you from some other blue collar life loathing employee?" Her smile grew as she asked this, eyes laughing.

Tony chuckled. "No, no. I was just escaping my office for a bit and decided to check out this place. To be honest, I can't remember the last time I was in a bookstore."

"Are you looking for a book on engineering or a book for fun?" She cocked her head. "Or are engineering books your preferred genre for pleasure?"

He pretended to be offended. "Hey, engineering books are a really interesting read. Though I'm really into physics these days."

"Ah, dang. I'm sorry I wouldn't be able to have an interesting conversation with you then," she said. "Science has never really been my forte. Well, physical science was, but that was back in high school."

"It's still a science."

She nodded. "Indeed..." she trailed off, eyes widening for a second. She then suddenly looked ashamed and embarrassed, lightly slapping herself on the forehead.

"What's the matter?" Hearing the concern in Tony's voice, she was about to respond when she shook her head.

"Nothing, it's stupid."

"You can tell me," he cajoled.

"I hardly know you."

"I won't laugh," he promised.

Biting her lip, she looked up and down the aisle. Satisfied at its lack of occupancy, she leaned closer and whispered. "You see, my dad's a private investigator…for the FBI, actually. No, I'm not joking. He was part of the team that investigated your father's company plane's explosion. He's also one of the few who still staunchly believe that there are still questions unanswered and he refuses to let the trail go cold. Why I flipped out like that, well, let's just say I…managed to get the details of that case out of my dad and therefore I remembered that the…anniversary was yesterday. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry and I like my dad, I believe this is still a case that needs to be solved. Are you okay?"

Tony remained silent for a moment. This woman definitely had a lot to say and she seemed to be genuine about all of it, especially in believing that there was still something to the tale of the incident that took his dad away from him. She also looked like she really wanted to know if he was okay.

Thinking that he was taking too long to answer her, she blushed and laughed awkwardly. "I'm sorry for dumping that all on you, I talk a lot when I'm excited and it's kind of my thing. People think me weird and annoying for it, but I can't help it and I'm not apologizing for my quirks."

Tony smiled. "You shouldn't have to apologize for being yourself, even if yourself is a bit effervescent. I like it. As for your question of am I okay. Well, to be honest, the grief comes and goes, even if it's been six years."

"You lost your father," she said softly. "That kind of pain is never going to go away. But it does look like you've managed to live despite it."

"Yeah," Tony agreed. "I guess I have." He thought back her peculiar wording on how he learned of the plane's explosion. "Did you…did you hack your dad's files?"

Her blush returned. "It was a _really_ bad habit of mine in high school. Dad was always changing his password and I always broke through it. I stopped once I reached college, I swear."

"I don't know whether I should find you admirable or dangerous," Tony teased.

"I didn't do anything with the information I found besides read it!" she protested.

"Relax," Tony laughed. "I'm just picking on you." He tapped her book. "I don't think someone who roots for the underdog would be the type to sabotage him or her."

She smiled. "I suppose you're right."

"Of course I'm right, I'm Tony Stark, I'm always right."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, is arrogance the new charming?"

It was Tony's turn to blush. "You think I'm charming?"

"I think you're interesting."

Before he could continue the conversation, her phone vibrated. Reading the text, she said, "ah, I've gotta go meet my friend. Today's her first day on the job and she's rather nervous. Gotta go play the role of moral support." She looked away from her phone and smiled at Tony. "It was nice talking to you, Mr. Stark."

"Tony," he replied, his name slipping from his lips.

Her smile softened. "Tony," she repeated. She glanced at his own phone and held out her hand for it. "May I?"

"Oh! Uh, sure."

Fingers moving nearly as fast as her lips when she was excited, she entered her contact information. "Sorry if this is too forward." She took a quick, silly photo of herself so he'd be able to identify her if she ever called or texted.

"No, no," Tony disagreed. "I wanted to get to know you anyway and now I can."

"I should probably tell you my name," she said as she handed back his cell.

Tony looked down at his phone. "Patricia Potts," he read.

"But almost everyone I know calls me Pepper."

Adjusting her contact information so it reflected her nickname, he looked up at her and grinned. "Now I do too."

Pepper laughed. "Indeed you do and I now I really have to go or my best friend will kill me out of panic."

"Wouldn't want that," Tony replied. He held up his phone. "So I might see you around?"

"Yup, either here or Patty's Diner," Pepper confirmed. "Two known destinations of mine. And Stark International is one of yours." She turned to return her book to the shelf. She then gave him a jaunty wave and headed toward the exit.

Tony didn't follow her, too busy grinning at the fact that he'd made such an intriguing and funny new friend. A minute after Pepper had left, his phone vibrated informing him he had a text. Flipping it open, he laughed at what it said.

_It was nice to meet you, Mr. Interesting. Maybe you'll work your way up to Charming. ;)_

* * *

><p>I also don't own Barnes and Nobles.<p>

I really liked writing this chapter! It's the longest one thus far!


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